Vehicles, such as automobiles, are assembled by aligning and fastening numerous components and sub-assemblies to one another. One region of the automobile requiring assembly of such components and sub-assemblies is a front end region, sometimes referred to as a “front clip.” The front clip is commonly defined as the region of the vehicle extending from the A-pillar to the most forwardly disposed component, typically a front bumper. The front clip includes a structural frame, as well as a variety of components that collectively form a body.
Efforts to directly or indirectly mount and/or fix the body components of the front clip to each other without the use of a structural frame, as well as to the vehicle frame have included approaches which rely on machined body mounting locations for the body components. Approaches relying on such body mounting locations have undesirably led to large variations in alignment and fastening of components to each other. Numerous issues related to large variations may influence the aesthetic appearance of the automobile and may be the cause of functional deficiencies, such as opening/closing efforts, alignment and mutilation, to name a few, which each may affect consumer satisfaction.